Lullaby for Danzo
by Thrice the Double U
Summary: Just what exactly defines a mother's love for their child? What is it that makes one a mother? Follow this woeful tale told in fragments of time, woven together by a scorned prince's lullaby for his bastard son who was born on a cold winter's night. ‹‹Story inspired by Mordred's Lullaby. HashiMada. One-sided HashiTobi. More warnings within.››


**Disclaimer:** I do not own the work of Masashi Kishimoto's _Naruto_ or _Naruto Shippuden_ , and the lyrics showcased are the property of Heather Dale's _Mordred's Lullaby_.

 **Warning(s):** M/M relationships, implied sibling incest, implied Mpreg, alternate universe, anthropomorphic wolf transformations, and Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics.

 **Relationship(s):** HashiMada, and one-sided HashiTobi

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The palace of Japan's imperial family was dark. With the help of dusk, shadows grew along the walls and the floors, and a cold air had settled in. Many of the residents had retired for the evening, retreating to their rooms and lighting warm fires, but not Tobirama. He was rather content with the biting chill of the night, and he seemed to find solace in the darkness. However, the newborn pup in his arms had a differing opinion, whimpering as a gust of cool wind blew across his nose. His mother smirked but didn't deny his need for warmth and wrapped him up further in a fine fur blanket. Aside from his looks, little Danzo had that in common with his father.

Hashirama, Tobirama's elder brother and an alpha, was the emperor of the nation. He was a respectable, handsome man, having a way with words and swords alike, earning the many lustful eyes of omegas. Powerful lords from across the country thrust their sons and daughters his way in hopes of gaining His Imperial Majesty's favor, but none of them caught his eye for the longest time. No, Hashirama only had an eye for his omega brother. Breeding amongst the immediate family wasn't an abnormal practice when it came to nobles, for it kept the bloodline pure and strong; so, Tobirama hadn't any reason to believe he wouldn't bear the heir to the throne. One day, however, a vixen of an omega stole away his brother's heart.

Tobirama growled at the thought of him, his more wolfish form making an appearance as his anger boiled within him, but he kept his composure. He could bare his fangs later when the time was right, and his eyes burned with determination as they gazed down at the innocent pup.

" _Guileless son,_

" _I'll shape your belief_

" _And you'll always know that your father's a thief_

" _And you won't understand the cause of your grief_

" _But you'll always follow the voices beneath"_

Two lupine creatures stood tall on powerful legs, their eyes aglow as they stared heatedly into one another's, and each of them held a weapon in their strong hands. The summer moonlight illuminated their personal battlefield that was the palace garden, and the beastly man with fur as black as the night had the advantage. If it weren't for his bright scarlet eyes, he would've blent in with the darkness perfectly, as if he were a shadow himself. His opponent was too astute, however, and wouldn't fall prey to his trickery. He dodged every swipe, every strike that was thrust at him. One or two grazed his armor and narrowly brushed against his brownish fur, but that hardly mattered. The weapons weren't real; they were made of wood.

When they thought no one was watching, when no one had any business with them, Hashirama and his consort often snuck out of their bedchamber to spar. While it was nothing new regarding His Imperial Majesty, for him to include Madara, a backwater commoner, that was unheard of. Commoners weren't even allowed to _own_ weapons, let alone _wield_ them. Even as the imperial consort to the emperor, Madara hadn't any use for such a skill; it was wasted on him. His sole purpose was to bear His Imperial Majesty an heir. (Ideally, he'd bear him _many_ heirs.) Yet, Hashirama wouldn't be dissuaded and continued cultivating him into a magnificent warrior consort. Those who managed to catch them in the dead of night described them as dancers, dancers who used sharpened steel in their performance. They were beautiful together, and indeed, Madara blossomed under his tutelage.

However, as Tobirama watched them that night with five-year-old Danzo by his side, he could see nothing but a filthy mongrel who gained the ability to kill with a blade. Those hellish red eyes seemed to shine with bloodlust, and he wore an ugly grin that made him look like a mad dog instead of a dignified wolf. His fur would always bristle with excitement, but the prince wondered if it was actually a subconscious act to make himself seem bigger. After all, Hashirama was an alpha and therefore much larger than he; so, perhaps he couldn't blame Madara.

Still, though, he couldn't understand why every other fool in the palace was so fascinated by his beastly "dancing." He was just a mutt playing warrior with his _real_ warrior of a brother, but his opinion didn't matter. Ever since Madara had stolen his rightful place as the imperial consort, his words now fell on deaf ears, and he was simply "Hashirama's younger brother." However, he wouldn't let Danzo be _just_ his bastard son. He'd teach his son the reality of things: that Madara was an unworthy and obscene omega, and that Hashirama wasn't the kind man he led his people to believe. He'd teach him that he was a worthier candidate for the throne than _any_ cur Madara would produce. He was his mother, after all. Weren't mothers _supposed_ to instill self-esteem in their pups?

" _Guileless son,_

" _Your spirit will hate her_

" _The flower who married my brother the traitor_

" _And you will expose his puppeteer behavior_

" _For you are the proof of how he betrayed her loyalty"_

The weather was as cold as it was the day he was born. The earth was laden with snow, and there was a bone-chilling wind that swept across his form with unforgiving force. Had he not been in wolf form, Danzo would've been knocked off his feet like a fragile leaf, but he maintained himself. His armor rattled loudly and was covered in ice, much like his fur, and in his hands was a katana gifted from his beloved mother. The hilt was wrapped in fine purple cloth over a black snakeskin, an excellent piece of craftsmanship, though the blade was now tainted with the blood of his kin.

He and his half-brother, Hiruzen, were posed opposite of one another, each in a battle-ready stance. No matter what, they both resembled their common father in the ways they stood, but Tobirama had taught his son the more traditional style. Danzo's form was perfect in that moment, while the emperor's eldest son held himself like he was ready to perform for an invisible audience. (There was no doubt that Madara's wild way of fighting had rubbed off on him.) It was a mockery to warriors everywhere. His mother was right, and this… _monkey_ of an alpha was not fit to be crown prince of Japan. His mother was right about _all_ of them. Hiruzen's siblings, Koharu and Homura, they were just as big a joke as their brother who had the nerve to face him in battle. Not that it mattered, of course; he'd fell him quickly and then move on to his true target. This day, he'd reclaim the honor of himself and his lord mother, and the reign of Emperor Hashirama would come to an end.

The lupine men snarled and bared their fangs as sparks flew between their clashing blades, disturbing the powdered snow beneath them, drawing blood from successful strikes. Their battle echoed throughout the barren landscape like thunder, and the might of their attacks damaged sword and armor alike. Danzo's was hardly intact, his breastplate reduced to rubbish; Hiruzen's, no better. They were panting in unison with their hot breaths visible in the freezing air of winter. Neither of them could keep going for much longer, and Danzo hadn't any intention of letting his wretched half-brother take his head. The time to end their struggle was now!

They lunged for each other one last time.

" _Guileless son,_

" _Each day you grow older_

" _Each moment I'm watching my vengeance unfold_

" _For the child of my body, the flesh of my soul_

" _Will die in returning the birthright he stole"_

The weather was as cold as it was the day he brought him into the world, crying and helpless, a hopeless bastard with a mother scorned. Tobirama, younger brother to His Imperial Majesty, had raised his son to be the perfect avenger, an avenger for their stolen honor, but here he laid in a pool of his own blood. Sixteen years of molding Danzo into an alpha worthy of the throne, worthy of felling his elder brother, all gone to waste. It wouldn't be long before his nephew relayed the news of his half-brother's attempted betrayal, and once Madara found out, it'd only be a matter of hours before he was linked to the crime, as well. He _was_ guilty, after all. There would be no talking himself out of this one.

In a preternatural swirl of ice and snow, Tobirama transformed into his own lupine guise and knelt down to take his son into his arms, shockingly cold to the touch. He didn't care that the blood stained his pristine white fur or lavish robes; his hands were already sullied from the beginning. No, all that mattered now was preserving what little dignity mother and son had left, and they vanished in the dead of winter as the woeful spirits they'd been damned to be.

" _Hush, child_

" _The darkness will rise from the deep_

" _And carry you down into sleep_

" _Child, the darkness will rise from the deep_

" _And carry you down into sleep"_

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 **Author's Notes:** I thank you all for reading. It's been awhile since I wrote out a full piece, and I was really excited to publish it somewhere; so, I'd appreciate any well-meaning feedback you have for me.


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